Tahki Yarns Swantown Tee Knitting Pattern

Tahki Yarns Swantown Tee

What Is Being Made

The Swantown Tee is a beginner-friendly knitted sweater designed by Teresa Chorzepa. This garment is a classic pullover tee available in five sizes ranging from XSmall to XL, with finished bust measurements from 34 inches (86.5 cm) to 49½ inches (125.5 cm) and finished lengths from 21 inches (53.5 cm) to 24½ inches (62 cm). The design features a simple, wearable silhouette suitable for warm-weather layering or standalone wear.

Techniques Used

The Swantown Tee is constructed using several fundamental knitting techniques that make it accessible to beginner-level knitters. The garment is worked flat on straight needles, meaning pieces are knitted in rows rather than in the round, and then seamed together to create the finished garment. The construction follows a bottom-up approach, where knitting begins at the lower edge and progresses upward toward the neckline. The design incorporates lace elements through eyelet rows, which are created using yarn overs and decreases to form decorative openwork patterns. Armhole shaping is achieved through strategic increases worked at regular intervals, while the neckband is finished using a circular needle for a neat, professional edge.

Stitches Used

The primary stitch pattern used throughout the Swantown Tee is stockinette stitchgarter stitch for the border edges, where knit stitches are worked on every row to create a textured, rolled edging. Lace details are created using yarn overs (yo) paired with decreases such as knit 2 together (k2tog) and slip, slip, knit (ssk) to maintain stitch count while creating openwork eyelets. Increases are worked using make 1 left (M1L) and make 1 (M1) techniques to shape the armholes smoothly without creating visible holes. The pattern also employs purl 2 together (p2tog) decreases where needed for shaping.

Materials

The Swantown Tee is knitted using Tahki Yarns TANDEM, a blend yarn composed of 28% cotton, 28% viscose, 28% nylon, and 16% acrylic. This fiber combination creates a lightweight, breathable fabric ideal for warm-weather wear. The yarn is supplied in balls weighing 1.75 ounces (50 grams) with 107 yards (98 meters) per ball. Yardage requirements range from 7 balls for the smallest size to 10 balls for the largest size, in the colorway #023 lakeside.

Knitting needles required include one pair of size 8 (5mm) straight needles for working the flat pieces and one size 8 (5mm) circular needle measuring 16 inches (40 cm) for the neckband. Additional notions include stitch markers for tracking pattern repeats and armhole placement, and a yarn needle for seaming the finished pieces together and weaving in ends.

Gauge Information

Achieving proper gauge is essential for this pattern. The stockinette stitch gauge is 18½ stitches and 24 rows over 4 inches (10 cm). The lace pattern gauge is 18½ stitches and 26 rows over 4 inches (10 cm). Knitters are advised to take time to check both gauges before beginning the project to ensure the finished garment achieves the intended measurements.